Tag Archives: Movies

Day 1359: Front of the Class

Everyone, regardless of ability or disability, has strengths and weaknesses. Know what yours are. “Build on your strengths and find a way around your weaknesses.” ~ Brad Cohen

It’s 12 : 10 PM on day 1359 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, read Psalm 46, publish my Disability of the Day feature, promote my Eradicate AIDS campaign – no donations – feed myself Oats for breakfast, promote my campaign some more – no donations – practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, stretch my hamstrings, spend time outside and continue promoting my campaign – still no donation honest to God if I had a middle name it would be Perseverance. .

Two days ago I watched Front of the Class – an American drama film based on the inspiring true story book written by Brad Cohen, Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had, co-authored by Lisa Wysocky – watching this movie made me realize all successful people with “disabilities” have perseverance in common. Watch Front of the Class below:

Day 1354: Love in the real world

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Love in the real world is compromise, sacrifice and hard work – that’s what I want the world to know.

It’s 12 : 11 PM on day 1354 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, read Psalm 41, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself bran flakes for breakfast, promote my Eradicate AIDS campaign – still on $802.85- practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, stretch my hamstrings and continue promoting my campaign – this is really starting to get humiliating and believe me when I say I’m not humiliated easily I’ve asked every employed person I can think of to take a look at my campaign and they either say they can’t help or they ignore me completely (God I know your busy with more important things but when you have a moment I would appreciate it if you could bring into my life people who will help me help you make this world a better place. Please and thank you in advance).

Two nights ago after watching too many clips from the Hallmark Channel on YouTube I realized contrary to what you see you see in movies and read in books love is compromise, sacrifice and hard work. Have you come to realize that love in the real world is compromise, sacrifice and hard work?

Day 1287: Nothing for Mahala

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South African movies are up there with the best in the world –that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 1 : 00 PM on day 1287 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, publish my Kid of the Week feature, go to church, read Job 21 and promote my Eradicate AIDS campaign – no luck yet.

Two nights ago I watched Nothing for Mahala – a South African movie about a city-slicker (played by Thapelo Mokoena) who gets sentenced to two hundred hours community service at an old age home for driving under the influence – I loved everything about the movie it was funny and heartwarming. Watch the Nothing for Mahala trailer below:

Day 1176: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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The best movies are those that reflect what happens in reality – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 06 PM on day 1176 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth. feed myself boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read 1 Chronicles 9, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, stretch my hamstrings and hang out with my sister.

Yesterday my siblings and I went to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, in the sequel Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have to go on a victory tour after which they find out they have to participate in the Quarter Quell, a version of the Hunger Games in which they have to fight the previous winners of The Hunger Games, I love The Hunger Games trilogy because it’s not as far-fetched as it seems both in The Hunger Games and in real life the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and there are people like Katniss, Peeta and Gayle trying to empower the powerless.

Day 1137: My call for positive movies about “disability”

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For the world to see differently-abled people differently the media needs to start portraying differently-abled people differently–that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 25 PM on day 1137 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, read 1 Kings 17, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, feed myself Bran Flakes for breakfast, stretch my hamstrings, spend time outside and listen to music.

This morning I was thinking about movies and how differently-abled people are portrayed in movies all the movies I watched about “disability” have left me feeling sad and hopeless which is really unfortunate because there are a great many differently-abled people who have made their mark on the world whose stories deserve to be told.

Day 1055: Blood Diamond

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Who do you think buys the stones I bring out, dreamy American girls who want a story book wedding and a big shiny rock. It’s like the ones they see in the advertisements in your politically correct magazines, so please, don’t come here and make judgements on me, alright. I provide a service, the world wants what we have, and they want it cheap. We’re in business together, get over yourself, darling. – Danny Archer, Blood Diamond

It’s 12 : 38 PM on day 1055 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, feed myself boiled egg and All Bran Flakes for breakfast, read Judges 14, pray, publish my Disability of the Day feature, tweet and Facebook about my campaign – no one made a donation so far today but some people promised to I guess that’s something I refuse to quit you only fail when you stop trying and I refuse to stop trying– help my brother study for his Afrikaans test – the job of a sister is never done but he’s a great kid (most of the time) and I’m glad to help (most of the time) 🙂 – and promote my campaign some more – still no luck.

Two days ago I watched Blood Diamond – a movie about diamonds and the role they play in war – it was the most horrific portrayal of reality I have ever seen before I saw this movie I never thought much about diamonds but now every time I see a diamond I will always wonder how that rock got from the mine to the woman’s finger people getting maimed and murdered all so a woman can have a shiny rock on her finger doesn’t seem worth it to me we as people need to decide that we don’t want anything at the expense of another human being’s life.

Day 669

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There are some things that we take for granted that other people will never get to experience – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 7: 45 PM on day 669 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to work, prepare and publish my Disability of the Day feature, brush my teeth, feed myself Chapati and chilli chicken for lunch, work some more, watch the movie Friends with Kids at the Hemingways Mall with my sister – it was a movie about two best friends who choose to have a baby without being romantically involved (it was predicable but I loved it) – and brush my teeth once more.

Today just as he movie was about to start I had a flashback to our housekeeper telling me she’s never been to the movies it’s not a big thing of course but I was so surprised because going to the movies is something most people take for granted that’s what I love most about living in South Africa people from different walks of life become a part of your life and make you grateful for the things you would otherwise take for granted. Are you grateful for everything you get to experience?

I LOVE hearing from you feel free to leave a comment below.

Day 651

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I should get out more -that’s what I learned today 🙂

It’s 9: 01 PM on day 651 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to prepare and publish my Disability of the Day feature, work, brush my teeth, feed myself a boiled egg for breakfast, drink Green Tea by myself, work some more, watch the movie LOL with my sister at the Hemingways Mall – it was a coming of age story starring Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore I could relate to the movie I’ve had to make the transition from thinking my mother didn’t know anything to thinking maybe she does have a clue – watch TV and feed myself French fries and Greek yogurt for dinner.

As you read above I went to the movies today which I rarely did because it took too much effort – I had to get dressed, get someone to go with me and get someone to drive me –strangely though being out in the world made me realize that it’s worth the effort to get out and be in the world I want to go volunteering at a local orphanage I don’t know how I’m going to swing that but you know what they say where there’s a will there’s a way. Do you opt not to do something if it takes too much effort?

I LOVE hearing from you feel free to leave a comment below.

Day 340

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I can’t say whether this is better or not. But it’s down to belief– just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it isn’t t there. – Horton in Horton Hears A Who

It’s 8: 03 PM on day 340 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, feed myself avocado sandwich for breakfast, tweet about my Clean Water For All Campaign while listening to Jason Derulo‘s music– somebody told me off because I put her on the spot and asked for a donation but it’s okay I can take the heat 🙂 – read On Being Alone With My Child on Love That Max feed myself rice and curry for lunch, continue reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, watch TV, feed myself steamed vegetables and chicken for dinner and brush my teeth once more.

Last Night I was watching John Edward Spirit of South Africa – a show about John Edward – world-renowned psychic medium and the readings he did on his recent visit to this beautiful country – and I couldn’t help thinking I wonder what it would be like to be visited by someone who has crossed-over a few minutes later I remembered all those times I felt Virginia’s – if you have no idea who I’m talking about visit Virginia: An Angel in Heaven – energy around me I guess what I’m trying to say is keep an open mind and know that when your loved ones come to you, you won’t hear them or see them you will only feel them. Can you feel the energies of your dearly-departed loved ones?

Are we connecting on Twitter? If not, say hi at http://twitter.com/Nisha360

If you’ve given to my cause or you can’t give now, please help me by sharing my cause with others. You can tweet about it like my friend Stan Faryna. This is the tweet he uses: @Nisha360 is a brave, smart young woman trying to make a better world for us all. Please help her do an amazing thing. http://bit.ly/hC7vOu

Stan’s very sweet for saying so, but feel free to write what reflects you best.

Thanks to all my friends out there who are helping me make my dream come true: to make a better world for all of us!

Day 335

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It’s not what they call you, it’s what you answer to. – Dr Toni Luck

It’s 6: 59 PM on day 335 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, feed myself an egg sandwich for breakfast, help my brother study for his English test, publish my Kid of the Week feature, feed myself rice and curry for lunch, chat to some family members on Skype, tweet about my Clean Water For All Campaign – no luck – feed myself an avocado for dinner, tweet about my campaign some more – special thanks to Anna – a kind stranger who made a donation just when I was losing all hope –and brush my teeth once more.

Yesterday I was watching Bicentennial Man – a movie – starring Robin Williams – about a robot who desperately wanted to become human – and what I learned from that was that if you know who you are you don’t need acknowledgement from anybody else which confirmed for me that saying to my mother earlier in the day I try every day to help others and if that makes me a failure then I’m happy to be one when she said I hope at least two of my children succeed in life was the right thing to do. Do you answer to labels that are not your own?

Are we connecting on Twitter? If not, say hi at http://twitter.com/Nisha360

Stan’s very sweet for saying so, but feel free to write what reflects you best.

Thanks to all my friends out there who are helping me make my dream come true: to make a better world for all of us!